Family Time: Smart solutions for the home

Wednesday

Mar 25, 2009 at 12:01 AMMar 25, 2009 at 6:34 PM

Weekly family rail, with a tip on keeping things simple at home, a review of “I Love You, Man” and more.

Tip of the Week

Lifestyle expert and author Victoria Pericon knows what it means to be busy. Between being a mother of three, radio show host and founder of SavvyMommy.com, Pericon has a lot on her plate, including the task of keeping the home looking great. Check out these tips Pericon uses to keep her home tidy and her day stress-free:

- List it out: Don't do anything before you first prioritize what problem areas need the most attention. A game plan is essential. Are you going to clean out the toy closet, wash the light fixtures or tackle the floors?

- Clear the clutter: One of the important parts of cleaning the home is getting rid of clutter. Donate to your local charities or consider dropping off a box of hand-me-downs to your favorite relative. Giving back encourages family to participate and enjoy the chore of cleaning for a good cause.

- Make it a family affair: There is no reason to go it alone when revitalizing your home. Assign each family member a room in the house to take charge of. Make it into a contest to see who cleans the fastest and share a prize at the end of the cleaning with the chosen winner. Make it fun for the whole family with a creative chart and prizes.

- A job well done: After the whole job is done, treat the family to a special reward such as ice cream or a family game night with pizza to let them know their effort is appreciated.

Synopsis: In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg, Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his best man. Peter sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward "man-dates," before meeting Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), a charming, opinionated man with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter’s relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancée and his newfound "bro."

Violence/scary rating: 3

Sexual-content rating: 4

Profanity rating: 5

Drugs/alcohol rating: 3.5

Family Time rating: 4. This is very much like other recent comedies, but this one might top them all in the use of the F-word.

(Ratings are judged on a five-point scale, with 5 being “bad for kids” and 1 being “fine for kids.”)

"’Twas the night before Easter, just before dawn, Not a creature was stirring out on the lawn": The Easter Bunny takes center stage in this delightful spin on Clement C. Moore's beloved poem that will send families hopping to the bookstore for an Easter treat sweeter than any sugar plum!

Did You Know

According to FamilyFacts.org, for men, being married appeared to be associated with a decreased likelihood of committing crime, by about 35 percent for men between the ages of 17 and 32.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove biscuits from tube. Pat each biscuit into a thin 3 1/2-inch oval. Arrange half of the biscuits on a greased cookie sheet. Mix tuna, cheese, mayonnaise and mustard together. Spread mixture on biscuits. Top with remaining biscuits, pressing edges together with fingertips or a fork. Sprinkle paprika on top of biscuits. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Makes 5. (CDKitchen.com)

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